The present invention is in the field of flip-headers for holding charge transfer devices (CTDs) in a high voltage device, such as an image intensifier tube.
Flip chips have been proposed but they are not considered a viable approach to intensified charge coupled devices (ICCDs) or intensified charge injection devices (ICIDs) because the edges of the semiconductor flip chips are too rough and produce field emission, and are exposed to greater than the operational voltage that cause in excess of 10.sup.5 volts per centimeter electric fields. An electric field of this magnitude virtually assures high voltage electric breakdown. In the present inventive flip-header this problem is solved by not having either the rough edges on the flip-chip CTD input side or the rough perimeter where the necessary thinning of the CTD occurs from the thicker outer portion. The thinned center portion of the charge transfer device is necessary for high quantum efficiency of the electron bombarded silicon, or semiconductor, mode operation (EBS) when operated in the EBS mode. Also, in prior art ICIDs there were two Kovar flanges adjacent to the already bonded CCD that had to be arc welded prior to cathode processing.